The present invention is directed to providing a clean, protected environment for a conveyor and can be used in many industries and is not limited to use in only the food industry which will be described hereinafter as the preferred industry for use of the invention. In food processing plants, such as in slaughterhouses and smokehouses, overhead conveyor systems are utilized to carry meat or poultry carcasses to various locations around the path of the conveyor. In these plants, the environment in which the conveyors operate can be quite severe with climates in such plants having sub-zero freezing temperatures and the climates of others being the opposite extreme with the conveyors being subjected to extremely high heat and temperatures. Typically, the conveyors include a track and track traversing components or elements such as rollers in engagement with the track driven by a chain drive for traversing the track. Also, extending from the rollers are meat hangers for the food items with the meat hangers carrying the carcasses on their lower hook end around to workstations along the conveyor path and above the floor of the processing plant. Chain lubricators are also commonly provided along the conveyor path for maintaining proper lubrication of the chain and rollers.
When the conveyors are run exposed in hot environments, the lubrication oil or grease that is used can thin in viscosity to the point where it drips from the conveyor down onto the work floor or directly onto the product being conveyed. With food conveyors, this is particularly undesirable as it is very important to keep the work area clean and sanitized and to prevent any contamination of the food product conveyed. Further, loss of lubrication can strain and wear the conveyor components as they are driven around the track and eventually lead to premature failure of these elements. Similarly, when the conveyors are operated in cold environments, the lubrication will tend to increase in viscosity and gum up which can cause binding of the conveyor transversing components. Binding of conveyor components is undesirable in that it can create erratic and jerky movements of these components as they are driven around the conveyor track instead of the desired smooth rolling engagement of properly lubricated rollers on the conveyor track for their rolling movement around the track.
It is important that the conveyor remain clean and free from contaminants to insure reliable conveyor performance and prevent microorganisms, such as bacteria, from accumulating thereon which could contaminate the meat carried by the hangers. The presence of bacteria and other contaminants on the conveyor components is undesirable and a considerable amount of production time and cost is encountered in shutting down the conveyor and sanitizing the conveyor. Also, a build-up of contaminants can cause deterioration and binding of the chain and roller bearings which can eventually lead to breakdown of these components generating expensive repairs and downtime. As discussed earlier, when the conveyors are utilized in harsh temperature environments, these problems can be exacerbated. For these reasons, frequent shutdowns of the conveyors are required for sanitizing the conveyor with disinfectants and for the maintenance thereof. Such shutdowns are undesirable from an economic standpoint as the operating efficiency of the conveyor is reduced and labor efficiency is decreased as during downtime workers cannot do the work required at their stations along the conveyor path and additional workers are required for a maintenance crew for cleaning the conveyor.
Thus, it is desirable that the periodic shutdowns currently required for washing, cleaning and maintenance of overhead conveyors be reduced or substantially eliminated for more efficient conveyor operation. In this regard, it is known to utilize spray cleaning for directing cleaning fluid at the exterior of food processing equipment. However, spray cleaning is generally not practical for overhead conveyors for conveying meat carcasses as described above primarily because the cleaning fluid that is sprayed at the conveyors can drip down onto the meat. Also, use of the cleaning fluid would require an expensive waste disposal system to properly handle the waste effluent generated from such a cleaning process. Thus, there is a need for a system for cleaning and sanitizing overhead conveyors in use in food processing plants which avoids the extensive conveyors shutdowns for sanitizing as currently required and reduces the occurrence of breakdowns in the conveyor components and does not risk contaminating the meat with cleaning solution or require waste disposal.